Cloth Nappies vs Diapers??

[rebekah]

Do you have access to washing your diapers in hot water or just use an antiseptic? How long do you find that the diapers take to dry in Hong Kong or are you able to use an electric dryer? Do you do all the washing/drying yourself or do you have help?

We wash in 95 degree hot wash cycle, but you can use napisan if you don't have that. We jsut have a small washer/dryer. We don't have a helper. I find that the pockets dry in 15-30 minutes and after i take those out, the inserts take maybe 50-60 more?

 

[jjmum]

I started off using disposables with innocency in cloth nappies really, until a friend recommended me using a brand that is manufactured in Canada, because all the other brands (including US & UK) available locally are made in China or Turkey, which is something I'm quite concerned about the quality & standard.

Though knowing that there are lots of benefits in using cloth, I wouldn't be so sure whether I would still opt for it if I don't have a helper ;>

 

[monte]

cloth nappies

We're using cloth and so far it's working pretty well. We had a great system in the States and it was easy--I was worried it would be harder here since I have such a small washer/dryer combo--(only been here 6 weeks). We don't have a helper, and it really isn't that much extra work. We did the math and it was SO MUCH cheaper than buying disposables, especially if we have another child and just reuse these diapers. We also feel it is more environmentally responsible and healthier--there are chemicals in the disposable diapers that allow them to be so absorbent, and I don't want these chemicals touching such sensitive parts of my baby's body. All that said, we do use disposables when traveling or when going out. I think if you are too strict about anything it becomes hard to maintain.

 

[cyberfish88]

To those of you using cloth diapers...what do you do with the diapers between the time of taking them off baby and running them through the washing machine? I don't like to have to run the machine all the time, but don't know what to do with the diapers after taking them off and they are all wet and soggy!

(I am using mostly disposable now but slowly starting to use more cloth)

 

[stephchoy]

Wow, don't remember it being that expensive! I used cloth diapers for both my children and I'm pretty sure that I've saved much more than that. Pre-folded might be a bit of a luxury. Take a little effort with the standard ones and at least feel a little better that you're investing in protecting the environment for your children!

At this point I don't plan to have any other children so investing in $900-1400 USD in cloth diapers that in a matter of a year or two I'm going to have to throw away just didn't make sense to me.[/QUOTE]

 

[MLBW]

Wow, don't remember it being that expensive! I used cloth diapers for both my children and I'm pretty sure that I've saved much more than that. Pre-folded might be a bit of a luxury. Take a little effort with the standard ones and at least feel a little better that you're investing in protecting the environment for your children!

At this point I don't plan to have any other children so investing in $900-1400 USD in cloth diapers that in a matter of a year or two I'm going to have to throw away just didn't make sense to me.

[/QUOTE]

With my son, I can't just use the standard ones because as it is, just putting a regular disposable diaper on him is a chore because he has nearly crawled away before I get that done. I watched my friend put on a standard cloth diaper--and her son is very mellow and just laid there the whole time--it still was quite a process. If I have to fold and secure the cloth diaper as you have to do with standards there is no way it's going to work considering my sons temperment. And after that you need to put a covering on so if that standard cloth diaper gets wet it doesn't leak.

So, for prefolded diapers it ranges from $900-1400 USD to buy. That is, buying 10 diapers for each day (my son goes through at least that many--especially now that he's eating solid foods) and washing those every 3 days which I've gathered is pretty much standard.

Even using disposable diapers, my son, with a little observation from the adults in his life can "communicate" when he needs to use the toilette and so he has his own little potty that we use with him sometimes. So, I am not at all worried about potty training him--even with disposable diapers.

As far as the environmental issues go--I do agree that cloth diapers are best but the main damage has already been done as far as we're concerned as my son will be out of diapers soon enough. Also, everyone makes their own bad impact on the environment--my good impact is that I don't drive a car so....

As I said, I'm not planning on having any more children so for me to fork out that much money for an article that you can't exactly sell or give away after use doesn't make sense.

 

[mushi]

dear cyberfish88, i wash the soiled nappies with hot water a little detergent, then soak them in hot water with detergent for atleast an hour or two. my maid washes them off again and hangs them to dry. on sundays i collect all of them in a hot tub of detergent (after the pre-wash) and then put them in the laundry ina single load. mind u i also use plastic nappies on top of cloth ones and those i hand-wash only.....it sounds complicated but it is pretty simple once u set a routine.

 

[Frenchy]

I'm using the Fuzzi Buns diapers, they are sooo easy to use, and also to put on a crawling/moving/sitting/standing baby (I know what you mean MLBW ;-). Once they are dirty, I just rinse them and put them in a plastic bag (a sort of beach bag, with a hard bottom), and it's ok for 2 days. When I got all of them dirty, I put them in the washing machine, and wash them with my usual detergent (I use Ecover) and no softener.
I'm using them for 3 months now, and they are as new as the first day.

 

[Matty]

Hi Cyberfish88,

I just put my wet and soiled nappies in a plastic container with an airtight lid (bought from Japan home centre).
No need to soak in anything, I just add a wipe with a little tea tree oil to control the smell.

 

[cyberfish88]

Thanks mushi, frenchy and matty for telling me how you handle the wet diapers! That helps a lot!